Meet Our Team
In Country Directors
Alvaro Carias
El Salvador Director
Education: In 1991 Alvaro graduated from the National University of El Salvador (UES) with a degree in English Language
Summary of Experience: Alvaro was born in Santa Ana, El Salvador. During the civil war, he worked with refugees in the outskirts of his city, helping them build their houses and developing literacy programs for children and adults.
After earning his degree in English, Alvaro joined the Center for Exchange and Solidarity (CIS) in El Salvador where he taught Spanish to US, Canadian, and English students for twelve years using Popular Education techniques with a participatory method.
In addition to teaching Spanish, Alvaro has led groups from the US and Canada, facilitating cross-cultural experiences for those interested in developing an understanding of the social, cultural, political, and economic realities of El Salvador. His work has helped participants from the First World explore Third World culture and issues. He has accompanied and translated for doctors, dentists, nurses and volunteers from the US who come to provide free medical and dental consultation to small rural villages.
From 2005-2008 he worked as the In-country Director of a North American non-governmental organization (NGO), overseeing school building, and scholarship programs in rural communities of El Salvador. He is a passionate advocate for human rights, social justice and environmental protection.
Guillermo Fernando Sensente
ESNA Project Director
Education: Guillermo graduated from Law School in 2013, from University of Sonsonate, El Salvador. Has received tourism courses by Ministry of Tourisms and is bilingual in English and Spanish. Currently learning to speak Nahuat, a mayan descendant language.
Summary of Experience: Born and raised in Sonsonate City, El Salvador, Guillermo traveled with his family to Santa Cruz, California, where he lived for 10 years. After quickly learning english and standing out in soccer, he graduated from Santa Cruz High School in 2003. Not been able to attend his dream School – Santa Clara University – Guillermo followed his family as they returned back to El Salvador in 2005. Guillermo’s family quickly got involved in various community projects and his father, Guillermo Sr. was elected Mayor for his home town, Santo Domingo de Guzman. Guillermo has been doing non-profit work since 2010 and is also part of another successful non-profit by the name of Tools for Opportunity – provides training, support and tools to low income woodworkers. Guillermo shows great dedication and passion for his people and is a valuable asset at ESNA Village Network.
United States Directors
Bill Fischer
Executive Director
Education: Bill is a 1972 graduate of Northern Illinois University where he received a BS degree with a major in Business.
Summary of Experience: Bill Fischer retired from Xerox Corporation in 2006 after 35 years with the company. While at Xerox he held many sales and management positions within the organization. He managed sales, technical and administrative resources during his tenure and carried responsibility for operational revenue and budgets. He has been an active participant in the development of the relationship between Heartland Presbyterian Church and sister communities in El Salvador since inception in 1996. Upon his retirement from Xerox in 2006 Bill lived in El Salvador for eight months, coordinating projects, managing cross-cultural experiences, and developing relationships in-country with both government and non-governmental agencies.
Board Members
Eddie Ellis
Director of Strategy
Education: Eddie received his MA from the Harvard Executive Management Program in 2004.
Summary of Experience: With 12 years experience, Eddie is an accomplished operational leader, developer of strategy and execution frameworks, process improvement consultant, and program and project manager. Eddie has experience in insurance and financial services, manufacturing and distribution, government, non-profit, and marketing industries.
Previously, Eddie has led a program effort for a Fortune 100 company where he was responsible for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of a 1000 person, $1B+ business unit. This project delivered a program portfolio of 68 projects (78M budget), scorecards and metrics dashboards, communication plans, 3-5 year road maps for each operating units and new financial systems and processes, streamlined reporting, cost containment and improved decision making quality and velocity.
He was also responsible for a leading a large customer-focused shared services project for a fortune 100 financial services company. His primary responsibilities were creating strategies, developing plans, creating cross-functional alignment and communication plans, recruiting and managing teams, new product development, organizing departments and projects to meet objectives, building measures to demonstrate performance, building external vendor relationships, building and expanding customer relationships. Eddie has four years of experience leading an international non-profit organization focused on improving the lives of those in extreme poverty.
Larry Hartsook
Chief Financial Officer
Education: Larry is a 1967 graduate of Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa where he received a BS degree with majors in Accounting and Marketing.
Summary of Experience: Larry Hartsook retired from Meredith Corporation, a Des Moines, Iowa based publishing and broadcasting company, in 1998 after 29 years of service. While at Meredith he held various financial positions, serving as Corporate Controller from 1981 to 1991 and the Vice President of Finance-Chief Financial Officer from 1991 to 1998. Prior to Meredith, he was an accountant and auditor for Gulf Oil Corporation.
Scott Valentine
Secretary and Director of Cultural Relationships
Education: Scott served his country as a United States Marine and received his honorable discharge in 1992.
Summary of Experience:
Scott served his country as a United States Marine and received his honorable discharge in 1992.
Scott has served as Pastor of Salem UCC in Alleman, Iowa since 2018, he was youth minister for Heartland Presbyterian Church in Clive, Iowa from 2006 2015, attending and completing a pastoral studies “Seminary” program from the United Church of Christ and was Ordained as a Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA) 2008. Scott is simi-retired from a career as a self-employed builder/contractor in the greater Des Moines area and is still contracting as a high-end trim carpenter on occasion. Scott has previously owned and operated a jewelry design, wholesale, and repair business. He was a founding director for a not-for-profit in the greater Des Moines area with a focus on prison ministries. Scott has been actively involved in mission in El Salvador since 2001. He has led many delegations from Heartland Church to El Salvador, working directly with the people of El Salvador and educating the people of the U.S. Scott also founded the International Mission Committee at Heartland Presbyterian Church and has played a key role in the building of strong relationships with several cantons “communities” in El Salvador.
Randy Fair
Director
Education: Randy graduated from Mansfield High School in 1967.After graduation he served three years in the U. S. Army completing nineteen months of service in Vietnam. After receiving his Honorable discharge from the Army in 1970, he attended Northwestern University in Louisiana. Randy became a certified operator for water production, water distribution and water treatment within the state of Louisiana. Randy also completed training as a Health, Environment and Safety Coordinator while working for International Paper Company. Randy attended a two-year program through Louisiana State University in their Agricultural Leadership Development Program in 2012-2014.
Summary of Experience: Randy worked for the East Desoto Water System as their water system operator and performed day to day maintenance on their system. Randy also served two years as a Desoto Parish deputy before taking employment with International Paper Company. Randy worked for International Paper Company for twenty-two years as an operator on a paper machine, shipping operator and finally as Health, Environment and Safety coordinator at their Mansfield, Louisiana mill. Randy has served on several local and national boards such as the American Beekeepers Federation, The Louisiana Beekeepers Association, The Desoto Parish Farm Bureau, Louisiana Farm Bureau Honey Commodity Committee and the ArkLaTex Beekeepers Club. Randy has been actively involved in El Salvador for the past four years.